RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



in the vestry, particularly in the winter season ; 

 and that an annual statement of accounts was to 

 be made immediately before the feast of the 

 Purification. 1 



The state papers show that the corruption of 

 this college continued. Dean Robert Shorton, 

 writing to Cromwell on 14 August, 1535, said 

 that he had received his letter in favour of 

 Gilbert Latham, a canon of the college, asking 

 for his restoration to the college dividends. For 

 once, at all events, in his life, Cromwell met 

 with no subserviency. The dean flatly refused 

 to allow Latham a penny. To do so would be 

 contrary to statute and custom. There could 

 be no division until repairs were deducted. In 

 a year and a half the canons had only spent ^4 

 in repairs, whereas, according to custom, they 

 should have spent £14-- Latham had got into 

 his hands £i~], and Westby as much, against 

 the statutes. This would not be suffered ; 

 moreover if they, dean and canon, divided 

 equally, each share would not come to as much 

 as £5 or £6. 2 



Dean Shorton could not have had much time 

 to give to the college affairs, for he was a bad 

 pluralist, being at the same time master of St. 

 John's College, Cambridge, and canon of York, 

 as well as holding a benefice in Durham diocese. 

 But he died shortly after rebuffing Cromwell, 

 namely, on 17 October, 1535. Ley ton, Crom- 

 well's subsequent unprincipled tool against the 

 monasteries, wrote to him in October, saying 

 that Dean Shorton was in articulo mortis, 

 begging for a letter commending him to the 

 bishop of Durham for this benefice. He asked 

 for the letter to be delivered to the bearer, who 

 would ride with it to Stoke College, 'and as 

 soon as the dean is dead, ride on with it to 

 Durham.' 3 



The vacancy caused by the death of Dean 

 Shorton was filled by the appointment of 

 Matthew Parker, the future archbishop. He 

 was presented on 4 November, 1535. 4 In 1537 

 Matthew Parker procured the assent of his 

 chapter to a reformation of the statutes. 8 



An inventory of the goods of Stoke College 

 was drawn up on 8 December, 1547. There 

 was a very rich supply of vestments, including 

 thirteen suits for priest, deacon, and subdeacon, 

 with albs ; fifty-five copes, seventeen single 

 vestments, and a considerable number of altar 

 cloths, corporas cases, etc. The books in the 

 library, ' with ther cheres, tables, yrons, and 

 waynscott,' were valued at ^5. The silver 

 plate, including four chalices, a cross, two 

 candlesticks, cruets, pix, &c. was divided into 



1 Jessopp, Visit. 299-301. 

 * L. and P. Hen. Vlll, ix, 92. 

 'Ibid. 632. 



4 Parker MSS. (C.C.C. Camb.), cviii, 6. 



5 Ibid. Parker carried out this reform in the hope 

 of saving the college. Strvpe, Life of Parker, 3. 



gilt, parcel-gilt, and white ; its total weight was 

 461 oz. 



There was also a considerable supply of 

 church ornaments in latten. There was a pair 

 of organs in the rood loft, another in the quire, 

 and two pairs in the Lady chapel. In the tower 

 were six great bells and a little sanctus bell, and 

 'a clock parfect striking on ye great bell.' 

 The destruction contemplated is shown by 

 the fact that twenty-two gravestones with their 

 brasses were valued at ^3 135. 4^. and even 'the 

 foundar's tombe ' at 20;. 6 



The following details appear in the certi- 

 ficate of this college taken by the commissioners 

 in 1548. 7 



'The College of Seynte John Baptiste in 

 Stoke nexte Clare, founded by Edmund yerle of 

 the Marches and Ulton, lord of Wigmore and 

 of Clare,' 19 May, 2 Henry V, to find a dean, 

 six canons, eight vicars, seven chief clerks, two 

 meaner clerks, one verger, one porter, and five 

 choristers. Since the foundation, the numbers 

 had been twice augmented ; in the first place by 

 William Pykenham, sometime dean, for another 

 vicar, to be vicar to the dean and his successors ; 

 and in the second place by William Lowell, 

 sometime verger, for a deacon of the college. 

 The yearly value was declared at ^383 2;. b\d. 

 and the clear value ^314 \\s. tid. There were 

 490 oz. of plate, ornaments, and household stuff, 

 valued at ^69 os. 8d.; lead remaining 62 fothers, 

 and bells weighing 8 tons, 2 cwt. 26 li. Arrears 

 of rent amounted to £105 <)s. id. 



Matthew Parker, D.D., the dean, aged 48, 

 drew ^67 Os. 2d. and held in addition divers 

 pensions of the annual value of ^30. The 

 stipends and pensions of the other members of the 

 establishment, including the schoolmasters of the 

 college and of the free school are also given in 

 detail. 



On the suppression of the college in this year, 

 it was granted to Sir John Cheke and Walter 

 Mildmay. A pension of ^40 was secured for 

 Dean Parker. 8 



Deans 9 of the College of Stoke by Clare 



Thomas Barnesley, A.M. 1415-54 

 Walter Blaket, A.M. 1454-61 

 William Welflet, S.T.P. 1461-9 

 Richard Edenham, S.T.P. 1470-93 (Bishop 

 of Bangor) 



6 Weever, Funeral Monuments, 742-3, says that there 

 were buried in this college Sir Edward Mortimer, the 

 last earl of March, Sir Thomas Grey, knight, and his 

 first wife, and Sir Thomas Clopton, and Ada his wife. 

 The Duke of Norfolk, writing to Dean Parker in 

 1540, expressed his desire to be buried in the 

 collegiate church among his ancestors. 



; Chant. Cert. 45, No. 47. 



s Hook, Archbishops of Cant, ix, 82. 



9 This list is taken from that drawn up by Arch- 

 bishop Parker MSS. (C.C.C. Camb.) cviii, 1 I. 



149 



